The Minister of the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts of Iran, Seyed Reza Salehi-Amiri, appointed Barzin Zargami as deputy for crafts and traditional arts. The ceremony marking this appointment took place on Saturday, during which the ministry also recognized the achievements of Behrouz Nadaei, who held the position of interim head of the deputy office.
Speaking at the ceremony, Salehi-Amiri emphasized the importance of continuing work on shaping policy, strengthening executive capabilities, and creating effective links between the creative economy and the development of handicraft markets.
Earlier, in June, Salehi-Amiri announced government plans to expand both domestic and international markets for handicrafts, increase exports, support artisans, and create a complete value chain for this sector.
During the ceremony dedicated to National Handicraft Week in Isfahan, the minister noted that Iranian crafts continue to receive international recognition, citing growing foreign interest in Iranian artistic products.
He added that the government aims to establish markets for Iranian handicrafts in capitals around the world and is working to remove barriers to access to international markets. In the minister's view, completing the entire value chain—from raw material supply and production to marketing, sales, and export—is necessary to strengthen the sector.
In recent months, the ministry has held meetings with domestic and foreign companies to facilitate broader access for Iranian handicrafts to global distribution networks. Currently, 299 types of crafts are practiced across the country, and the country is home to 17 cities and villages recognized by the World Crafts Council as centers of world craft.